The invention relates to a linear drive comprising a drive housing with longitudinal axis, a transverse axis and an upright axis in a Cartesian coordinate arrangement, such drive housing defining a longitudinally extending drive space arranged off center in the direction of the transverse axis and in which drive means are located able to be driven to perform a linear movement, such drive means being drivingly coupled with a carriage or slide adapted for linear movement externally on the drive housing and guided by way of a guide means, the guide means having two guide units which are parallel and arranged with a distance between them in a guide plane perpendicular to the upright axis, said guide units respectively including a guide track on the housing side.